Faults in at least 33 EVMs in Assam, 29 replaced

At least 33 electronic voting machines (EVMs) malfunctioned in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam where polling began on Monday morning.

Authorities replaced 29 faulty machines. While nine were replaced in Kaliabor, six were changed in Lakhimpur, five each in Tezpur and Dibrugarh and four in Jorhat.

The highest number of malfunctioning EVMs was reported from Kaliabor constituency from where Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's son Gaurav is contesting for the first time replacing his uncle and sitting MP Dip Gogoi.

"We have information for only the Nagaon sub-division till now. We have replaced a total of nine machines there," Kaliabor Returning Officer Deepak Kumar Baruah said.

Of the nine machines replaced, six were at Chamuguri, two at Rupahi Hat and one at Nagaon in Kaliabor constituency, Baruah said.

Lakhimpur Returning Officer Gaurav Bothra said six machines have so far been replaced at different locations in this constituency so far.

"There were some glitches in a few other EVMs also, but our engineers corrected those immediately and they are working perfectly now," he added.

Tezpur Returning Officer Lalit Gogoi said five of the six malfunctioning machines in Dhekiajuli were replaced in the morning. The problem in another was rectified.

Election Officer of Dibrugarh Biswajit Phukan said five machines were replaced in Lahowal, Duliajan, Dibrugarh, Tingkhong and Chabua since morning.

Jorhat Returning Officer Vishal Vasant Solanki said four machines were replaced at different places while snags in three others were corrected by engineers.

An electorate of 64,41,634, including 31,20,067 women, are expected to exercise their franchise at 8,588 polling stations in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Assam on Monday.